Being Karen and Arthur
by PrincessAndula
Summary: "I wish I could spare you, Princess..."  A fix-it fic.


**I don't own Doctor Who. I only own Peter Pond-Williams and the Smith family. **

Amelia Pond-Williams sat down at her dressing table and removed the high heeled shoes from her aching feet. "I'm too old to be dancing all night," she sighed.

"Never, Mrs. Williams," her husband stated, kissing her cheek.

She smiled at their reflection in the mirror.

"Hmm," she mused, "that's funny, Rory."

"What's funny?"

"I never noticed until just now how much we look like Aunt Karen and Uncle Arthur."

"What's so surprising about that? Aunt Karen was your aunt, you know."

"Well, third cousin once removed."

"So?"

"So, that doesn't explain how come you look like Uncle Arthur."

"Pond women have a type?"

Amelia arched her eyebrows at him.

"Okay…well, we don't really know much about my side of the family. I could be related to him somehow. Don't forget; I'm adopted, too."

"I know…but it's still weird."

"Okay, so it's weird. Still not getting why…"

"Rory, don't you see? Aunt Karen and Uncle Arthur adopted Mels!"

"Speak of the devil, Mum…" came a voice from the open doorway of the bedroom.

"River!" Amelia exclaimed, forgetting her aching feet to jump up and hug her daughter.

"Hello, again," Rory said, walking over to plant a kiss atop her curly hair.

"So where are we?" Amelia queried.

"Just did Peter's wedding."

"Oh, good, we're linear for once," said Rory.

"I know. I came straight here because something occurred to me just as you were leaving. You look just like…"

"Aunt Karen and Uncle Arthur Smith!" all three shouted in unison.

"Amy just noticed the same thing," Rory remarked. "I'm not sure I understand why this is such a big deal."

"Because, stupid face, we could go back in time to be Aunt Karen and Uncle Arthur. We could raise Melody ourselves. Mels, I mean."

"But Amy, what are we going to do with the real Karen and Arthur? Just bump them off?"

"Dad," River interjected hesitantly, "maybe you…maybe you already are them."

"Wait. How could we be them?"

"Remember when we went to get our driving licenses and they said I needed my adoption papers. Da—I mean, Arthur, brought them in and they were in this tiny little folder…almost like…"

"The psychic paper, yeah?" Amy's Scottish accent thickened in excitement.

"Exactly. And there were so many other little things that, looking back, just don't quite add up. I don't remember being formally adopted. The Smiths just sort of came and got me in America and brought me to Leadworth. And your dad, Augustus…remember when he kept asking Mu—Karen to remind him how they were related? Like he couldn't remember hearing about her before we moved in?"

Rory stared at River. "So you think that we, your birth parents, went back in time and changed our names to become your adoptive parents?"

River shrugged. "It fits, doesn't it?"

"Two problems: why wouldn't we have stopped you from, you know, stealing things and becoming an assassin; and two, what about your brother?"

"Dad…I know you want to spare me that life and I know you're disappointed in me…"

Amy held a hand in front of River's face. "Stop right there! We are never, ever, disappointed to have you as our daughter, Doctor Melody Pond Mels River Song Williams Smith Whatever-the-heck-your-last-name-is-now!"

River laughed. "Okay, okay, Mum. My point is…you can't change what I've done…or will do…just by becoming the Smiths and adopting me. The Smiths were the best thing that had ever happened to me and they did their best to raise me right…but, well, between Kovarian's training and just my own rebel personality…"

Rory nodded soberly. "I wish I could spare you, Princess…"

River gasped. "Dad, you called me 'Princess', just like Arthur Smith used to do!"

"I don't remember him saying…"

"Of course not. He only did it when my 'friends' weren't around!"

"Rory?" Amy looked at her husband expectantly. "It sounds like this is meant to be."

"Okay…but that doesn't answer my second question. What about your brother? We can't just abandon Peter."

"I don't think you do, Dad, and I would never ask you to. But the Smiths did have an older son by birth. He came to visit from time to time, remember?"

"Daniel, yeah?" asked Amy.

"Right. He was always just like a real brother to me…"

"Wait a minute…had you already done today when you came to the hospital to see your newborn brother?"

"No, why?"

"Because you are the one who suggested Daniel for a middle name."

"Yeah, I did because Daniel was such a good brother to me. I…oh, my…"

Rory couldn't help but chuckle. "So my wife named my daughter after my daughter, and my daughter named my son after my son?"

River smirked. "Wibbly wobbly, timey-whimey, spacey-wacey?"

Amy tilted her head to the side in thought. "And you never knew we were really your parents until today? We never told you?"

"No, you never did." River smiled sadly. "In fact, you are the ones who told me to keep my identity a secret from yourselves. You said, 'If Amelia and Rory are really somehow your parents, you can't tell them until you know that they know that they have a daughter.' And then the other would always add, 'And until that daughter is taken away from them.'"

"I'm sorry we put you through that, River," Rory said, putting his arm around his daughter's shoulder.

"No, Dad, it's okay. It was hard keeping that a secret—painful, at times—but you were absolutely right. You weren't ready to know; and think of all the paradoxes it could have caused!"

Amy laughed. "I think we're causing quite a few paradoxes as it is!"

"Well, I am quite the complicated space-time event," quipped River.

"I guess the only question left," mused Amy, "Is how we are going to manage the logistics of going back in time to adopt you…and how to get our house…and how Peter can come visit with the kids…"

"River," asked Rory, "do you think the Doctor would help us?"

"Of course," River replied with a wink, "After all, I am his wife!"

**What do you think? Leave it as a one-shot, or continue with some vignettes of Mels' life with the Smiths? I might write more if I get enough reviews.**


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